Queen Elizabeth II is not only the longest reigning monarch in the world, but she is also one of the most well-travelled. Her Majesty has undertaken a number of state and official visits as well as trips throughout the Commonwealth since ascending the throne in 1952. It was during one of these visits that the monarch was involved in an unhappy and awkward incident.

In May 1991, the Queen, accompanied by her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, arrived at the White House for a welcome ceremony.

The 41st President of the US, the late George H.W. Bush, took to the podium first for a speech, introducing Her Majesty.

However, something went wrong as he left the stand as he had found it, meaning that when the Queen stepped up to talk, the microphone was so high that her face was hidden.

Nothing but Her Majesty’s purple-and-white hat could be seen above the microphones when she delivered her speech.

The gaffe made headlines around the world and created a comical effect.

The Washington Post headlined it: “Britain’s Hat of State.”

Despite the embarrassment, the Queen did not seem to mind.

In 1992 BBC documentary “Elizabeth R”, newly-resurfaced footage shows Her Majesty discussing incident with her husband, Prince Philip and her press secretaries.

The monarch tells them: “Not something that I would ever actually think of before hand.

“He [President Bush] is huge really.

“He is really tall.”

The Queen also decided to make light of it a few days later.

As she began an address to a joint meeting of Congress, the Queen said: “I do hope you can see me today from where you are.”

The comment drew laughter and applause from the lawmakers.

President Bush expressed regret about the incident, saying “it was not fair to her”.

Asked why he did not pull out the lectern’s step for the Queen, Mr Bush said: “I feel badly I didn’t.

“I thought about it, but she started to speak and I didn’t realise how it would look from a straight angle, or I would have interrupted her.

“It wasn’t fair to her and I’m just sorry that it was overlooked.”

The former US President blamed his chief of protocol as the culprit.

He said sharply: ″That’s what we hired Joseph Reed for.”

Joseph Verner Reed was the man in charge of arranging the entrances and exits for all the foreign VIPs who visited the White House.

Mr Bush is not the only US President who made a faux-pas in the presence of Her Majesty, though.

Last summer, Donald Trump pushed the boundaries of royal protocol in front of Her Majesty on more than one occasion.

In particular, according to a “royal historian”, there is one thing that Mr Trump did in front of the monarch that was equivalent to a “mortal insult”.

The US President turned his back on the Queen and then walked in front of her while inspecting the guard at Windsor Castle – actions that are all considered to be major faux pas when it comes to royal etiquette.

Historian Ian Beck wrote on Twitter: “Trump has also turned his back on the Queen.

“I have always believed this to be a mortal insult to a monarch.”

Source: Read Full Article